Flanders sees Bombers' lack of offensive touchdowns as a big concern

Some members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers seem to be able to brush off the team’s recent offensive struggles, but not Timothy Flanders.

Some members of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers seem to be able to brush off the team’s recent offensive struggles, but not Timothy Flanders.

The second-year running back/slotback from Oklahoma says it’s unacceptable the Bombers offence failed to score a touchdown in three of the last four games.

“I was mad, I’m not going to lie,” Flanders said Saturday, a day ahead of the CFL West Division semifinal against the Edmonton Eskimos. “It really made me mad. We get paid to put points on the board so we have to score. You can tell the guys were pretty frustrated, but we’ll be able to score tomorrow.”

They’ll have to.

The Eskimos boast the most powerful offence in the league and the Bombers offence needs to move the ball in order to keep Mike Reilly and Co., off the field.

The Eskimos average over 400 yards of offence per game and led the league in offensive points per game (27.2). The Bombers are second in offensive points per game (26.7), but haven’t been the same since quarterback Matt Nichols got banged up and leading receiver Darvin Adams went out with an arm injury.

“We can’t just come away with field goals all the time,” Flanders said. “We have to be able to eat up as much time as we can and score. That’s the only way we’re going to win.

“We have tremendous faith in our defence, they’ve been carrying us for a couple of games, but we have to put points on the board to help them.”

Flanders, who missed three games with a lower body injury before returning last week in Calgary, provides a nice injection of offence and works as a great complement to workhorse running back Andrew Harris.

Flanders had a scare on Friday when he slipped on snowy turf and went down in a heap, but he will play Sunday.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “Man, that was something I didn’t want to happen, but it happened. I’m feeling better today.”

DAD WILL BE WATCHING

Defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat, asked when he last played a game of this magnitude, only needed a few seconds to answer.

“This might be the first,” the Texas product said. “I guess a Bowl game. But it’s still not as big as this. This is pro football. Playing in a playoff game, this is probably my biggest.”

That means his dad, Jim Jeffcoat, the former Dallas Cowboys great, will be tuned in from south of the border, where he’s an assistant coach with the University of Colorado.

Father and son talk every week, Jackson says, adding he probably gets more coaching from his dad now than he did as a kid.

“He didn’t want to even pressure me to play football,” Jeffcoat recalled. “He made sure that I became myself. I didn’t have to be Jim Jeffcoat’s son, growing up. He knew when I wanted to know something, I’d come to him and figure it out.”

Jeffcoat has figured it out in his first CFL season, finishing tied with Jamaal Westerman for the team lead in sacks, with seven, and helping fill the pass-rushing void after Westerman’s season ended prematurely.

He comes by his football savvy and his soft-spoken nature honestly.

“Out here I don’t have to be loud, I don’t have to yell about it,” he said. “But out on the field… you’ve got to turn on that beast inside and come out and play. I grew up watching my father play and I saw that was how he was. He’s a kind man, a gentle man, but on the field he was a beast. He made 102 and a half sacks in his career. He was out there balling.

“So that’s what I wanted to do. I’ve seen you can do it.”

ICE BOWL?

The turf at Investors Group Field was somewhat snow covered for practices on Friday and Saturday, though it should be mostly cleared up for Sunday’s game if no more precipitation falls.

The forecast is for sun and cloud and a game-time high of -4 C.

Harris doesn’t expect the field conditions or the weather to be a major concern.

“The conditions aren’t as bad as they seem,” he said. “It’s not so that cold that it gets icy.

“I’m excited, can’t wait. That’s what you live for. It’s a colder game, snowy, less traction and in those trenches, those are battles in there.”

Harris expects much of the game to be won and lost along the line, where the Eskimos fearsome defensive line is pitted against a strong Bombers O-line.

“We’ve got lots of respect for them,” Harris said. “Almondo Sewell is the best D-lineman I’ve ever played against. Our guys are ready for the challenge, for the smashmouth football in there.”

TIME TO REMEMBER

The Blue Bombers stopped their walk through Saturday at 11 a.m. in order to honour the fallen on Remembrance Day.

The Last Post was played over the stadium speakers and players stood still before observing a minute of silence.

“We happened to be out at practice at the time when everybody else is having ceremonies so I thought it was a good thing to do,” Bombers coach Mike O’Shea said.

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